Default surrogate decision making

[Jessica]

If a person is unable to make decisions about personal health care, some other person or people must provide direction in decision making. The general term for such person is surrogate decision maker. If there is no health care power of attorney document in place and no court-appointed guardian with authority to make health care decisions, most states provide for a default surrogate decision maker in their state laws. (See also Overview of Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care.)